College Goal Sunday at MTSU

February 14, 2010

2:00–4:00 pm

College Goal Sunday (CGS) is a free event held nationwide annually to assist families of new college students complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) required to qualify for college financial aid. The event is offered free-of-charge to the families of prospective college students who need financial aid and assistance completing the financial aid paperwork. At MTSU’s College Goal Sunday event, students and their parents will have the opportunity to

• Meet with counselors to ask financial aid questions,
• Attend a presentation on financial aid, and
• Submit a FAFSA online with the assistance of financial aid professionals.

Students and parents with specific questions may meet individually with a financial aid counselor.

Why should I attend College Goal Sunday?

Applying for financial aid for the first time can be a bit overwhelming, yet the FAFSA is required if you want to receive grants, loans, a lottery scholarship, or other types of state and federal aid.  Financial aid staff at CGS will help you to complete your FAFSA by the recommended date*, and will be available to answer many of the common questions students and their parents have when filing a FAFSA.  Even if you’re not ready to file your FAFSA yet (or have already filed it), you may want to attend CGS to learn about financial aid and scholarships. 

Am I required to register for College Goal Sunday?

We strongly recommend that you pre-register at www.tn.gov/collegegoalsunday , so that we can plan for your attendance and notify you of any schedule changes. However, you are welcome to attend CGS even if you do not pre-register.

Attendees sign in at the Business and Aerospace (BAS) lobby then choose which station they wish to visit first.

Where is MTSU’s College Goal Sunday event held, and how do I get there?

At MTSU, College Goal Sunday is held in the Business and Aerospace (BAS) building. (You can find a list of other Tennessee sites by clicking here.) Click here to find maps of the MTSU campus and directions to campus. Once you arrive on campus, please follow these directions to the BAS building:

From Middle Tennessee Boulevard:Turn onto Greenland Drive so that you’re headed toward campus. (If coming from the direction of Memorial Blvd, this will be a left turn; if coming from the Main Street area, this will be a right turn.) Turn right onto Champion Way, then left onto Blue Raider Drive. At the next intersection, turn right onto Founders Lane. Park in any of the lots to your left, then walk across MTSU Boulevard to the BAS building.

From Rutherford Boulevard:Turn onto MTSU Boulevard so that you’re headed toward campus. (If coming from the direction of Memorial Blvd, this will be a right turn; if coming from the Wal-Mart or Main Street area, this will be a left turn.) Keep going straight until you see the BAS building on your left. Turn right onto Founders Lane. Park in any of the lots to your right, then walk across MTSU Boulevard to the BAS building.

When should I arrive?

CGS is from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm on Sunday, February 14, 2010. For best results, please arrive at 2:00. While you are welcome to come later, you will have the most time to have your questions answered and get help with filing your FAFSA if you are able to attend the full event from 2:00 to 4:00.

Students receive professional assistance as they file a FAFSA and attend an informational presentation on financial aid during College Goal Sunday.

What should I bring?

If you wish to submit your FAFSA during the event, please bring a copy of your 2009 tax return and W-2s, your parents' 2009 tax return and W-2s, and information about savings account balances and other income and assets. You may want to print the FAFSA Worksheet to review the complete list of the information you will need to complete your FAFSA. Additionally, please request a PIN number, if you have not already done so. One of the parents listed on your FAFSA will also need to request a PIN number. Bring the PIN numbers to College Goal Sunday, so that you can complete and submit your FAFSA during the event.

Should I come to College Goal Sunday if my parents don’t have their taxes or W-2s yet?

Yes, you can go ahead and file your FAFSA based on estimated income information.  For best results, bring a copy of your parents’ most recent tax return (for the 2008 tax year) and a copy of their last pay stub for 2009.  You can use this information to estimate their income for the FAFSA.  After your parents file the 2009 tax return, you can check your estimated info on the FAFSA and correct it if it is wrong.  (You can also estimate your own income information, if you haven’t filed a tax return yet but expect to do so later.)

We encourage all incoming freshmen to attend College Goal Sunday, even if they plan to attend another college. Non-traditional students and students who have been out of college in recent years are also encouraged to attend.

Will the event be cancelled for snow or ice?

We will make every effort to hold the CGS event regardless of weather. However, if we have inclement weather and must delay or cancel the event, local media will be notified; please watch Nashville and MTSU TV stations for cancellation information. If you register to attend CGS at MTSU and provide a valid phone number, you will also receive a phone call notifying you if the event is cancelled.

Other questions?

Please contact Bonnie McCarty, MTSU’s College Goal Sunday coordinator, at bmccarty@mtsu.edu or at 615-904-8414.

Volunteers from local financial aid offices, state agencies, and other associated fields are available to answer questions and help students fill out a FAFSA.

*Recommended Filing Date:  We recommend that students file a FAFSA no later than February 15.  Some types of need-based aid have limited funding and are generally exhausted by mid-February.

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Please  Note:
Any information on this site concerning financial aid assistance at MTSU may be subject to change or corrected as necessary without prior notice.